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UPDATE: Suspect Arrested Friday In Alleged Pump-And-Dump Scheme And Costa Rican Money-Laundering Caper May Have Link To Bizarre Underwater ‘Nation’ That Sells ‘Driver’s Licenses’ For $140
Jonathan R. Curshen, one of six people charged criminally by federal prosecutors and sued civilly by the SEC last week in Southern Florida in an alleged penny-stock, securities fraud, wire-fraud and money-laundering caper, once was a purported “consulate” to the bizarre, nonexistent nation of “New Utopia,” according to web records. New Utopia was a fanciful…
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BULLETIN: Another Alleged Forex Ponzi Scheme — This One In Texas; CFTC Says Convicted Felon And Known Securities Swindler Ran New Scam By Trading In Accounts In Wife’s Name
A Texas man with federal convictions two decades ago in Utah on charges of securities fraud, mail fraud, making false statements and conspiracy started a Forex Ponzi scheme in 2008 and stole at least $750,000 from investors, according to a CFTC complaint originally filed under seal earlier this month. U.S. District Judge Richard Schell of…
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SEC: 77-Year-Old Amish Man Ran $33 Million Fraud Scheme Targeted At Fellow Amish; Meanwhile, CFTC Says North Carolina Pastor And Colleague Ran Forex Ponzi Scheme
UPDATED 2:50 P.M. ET (U.S.A.) A 77-year old Amish man in Sugarcreek, Ohio, ran a fraud scheme that gathered at least $33 million and affected 2,600 investors in 29 states, the SEC has alleged. Monroe L. Beachy’s long-running scheme mostly targeted fellow Amish, the agency charged. The scheme, which operated under the name of A&M Investments…
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Southern Florida’s Top Federal Prosecutor Says Offshore Biz-Op Fraudsters Have No Safe Havens; United States Throws Down Gauntlet To Criminal Hucksters
A top federal prosecutor said today that the United States would vigorously investigate and prosecute “business opportunity” fraudsters who target Americans. “This is true even if they operate from outside of the United States,” said Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “International law enforcement cooperation eliminates safe havens for those…
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URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: Deputy U.S. Marshal Shot And Killed In West Virginia Attack; 2 Others Wounded; Assailant Killed By Return Gunfire
BULLETIN: A deputy U.S. marshal was shot and killed this morning while serving an arrest warrant in a drug case at a home in Elkins, W. Va., a law-enforcement official said. Two other deputy marshals were wounded in the attack. Their conditions were not immediately known. Charles E. Smith, the alleged assailant, reportedly was killed…
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Judge Says Ponzi And HYIP Operator Who Swindled Mother Of Fallen U.S. Marine Deserves More Jail Time Than Specified In Plea Bargain, Sentences Juan Rangel To 22 Years; Rangel’s Son Wanted By FBI In Bribery Caper
EDITOR’S NOTE: Although this story largely focuses on the sentencing of Juan Rangel, his son — Harold Rangel — is wanted by the FBI in a bribery case and is believed to have helped his father pull off a massive HYIP and Ponzi scheme. Although federal prosecutors offered a plea bargain to Ponzi and HYIP…
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BULLETIN: Bench Warrant Issued For Ponzi Schemer Who Ran Commodities Caper, Ripped Off Condo Association To Keep Scheme Afloat And Appeared On CNBC As Trading Analyst, CFTC Says
BULLETIN: A federal judge has frozen the assets of a trader and television analyst charged criminally by a New York County grand jury with multiple felonies in an alleged commodity-pool Ponzi scheme and charged civilly by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission in the same caper. Brian Kim, 35, is a “fugitive,” declared Manhattan District…
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